Very nice, I plan to get a decent bike when I retire. I used to ride a bunch when I was in my 20s.

I started with mtn bikes years ago (still ride them), got a nice hybrid a few years ago and it was time to move up. I took a short ride today and the difference (compared to my hybrid that I was using as a road bike) was amazing.

Yeah, there's for sure truth there. I used to commute from college park to rockville and most of the trip was reasonably safe (I knew 100 routes between home and work and could 'maximize' safety or speed depending on which way I went). However, a screw up on my part nearly did me in early one morning. I didn't see something on the road and managed to crash right in front of a pickup truck. I was actually under his front bumper and had one of his tires touch me. I got away with just a little road rash, amazingly enough. The real cause was getting on the bike without being fully alert and that's a mistake I don't think I've repeated since, on a bicycle or motorcycle.